Forgotten Dishes and More Pleasant Things
by adddicted2fiction
Summary: To fill the awkward silence shortly after being dropped back off in Pete's World, Rose turns the radio on. A familiar song comes on, and the Doctor requests a dance.


The silence was deafening. It was with her constantly; paired up with anything she did, even if she was not alone. It wasn't just the comforting thrum of the TARDIS that was missing, or the loss of the Doctor and his babbling– it was also the loss of their presence in her mind. The ache wasn't too bad, no, she could ignore that. But the silence, she could not. It was suffocating. Quite frankly, Rose was sick of it.

So, she turned up the radio. Music, talk shows, podcasts–whatever she stumbled upon was good. It wasn't the same, not even close, but it helped. Over time, Rose was able to tune out actual words and just revel in the noise. Eventually, she got used to it. It just became a part of her life. Her hand reached instinctively to turn it up, whenever she found herself being pestered by the quietness of the universe she was trapped in.

Even after everything; even after Bad Wolf Bay, take two and her new Doctor's presence in her mind, she still felt her hand itching to turn up the whatever. One of their first nights together, they were scrubbing at the dishes, both desperately trying to ignore the awkward tension between them and Rose couldn't stand it anymore. She flicked on the old radio she kept in the kitchen.

The Doctor stilled.

"Sorry. D'ya mind? It's just that–" She cut herself off before she could ramble on anymore about before and noticed the smile on his face. "What?"

"Well, this song. Do you remember it?"

It was Rose's turn to pause, and when she focused on the music, it only took a beat for the memory to come to her. She smiled wistfully. "Dancing with you, in the TARDIS? How could I forget?"

The Doctor put the pan he was drying down and turned to Rose, arm outstretched. "Would you care to dance, Miss Tyler?"

Rose's tongue stuck out between her teeth. "I believe I would," she replied, putting down the plate she was washing and dried off her hands, taking his.

Dancing on the linoleum floor of Rose'd small kitchen was a bit difficult, but honestly, neither of them cared. Soon, they were so caught up gazing lovingly into each other's eyes and so swept up in the waves of emotions both from themselves and through their bond that the world faded around them. It was as if no time had passed at all, and the past few years had been but a terrible dream.

Their energetic swing dancing slowly transformed until they were just swaying. The pair stayed like this, through countless songs and commercial breaks, not a care in the world.

Then, something in the air changed. Neither could tell what it was, exactly, but suddenly, their desires to lean in that tiny bit that had been ignored up to that point seemed to become amplified. And so, slowly, they did. This kiss was gentle and soft, at first, so unlike how it had been on the beach. This time, sealed off in the bubble that was the kitchen, they had all the time in the world.

Only when they had to, did they pull apart. Gasping to fill their lungs with air, they smiled like idiots and pressed their foreheads together. No words came to them, but it didn't matter. They didn't need to say anything.

When a hearty yawn escaped Rose, she reluctantly pulled away the slightest bit to look at the clock. It was nearing midnight. "I suppose I should head to bed," she said, disappointment tinging her voice.

The Doctor nodded, trying to keep his face neutral, but Rose sensed his confliction over their connection. "What is it?"

"Well, er, I was just wondering if I could stay with you?" He focused on the floor.

The concern that had knitted Rose's eyebrows together faded, replaced by her beaming expression. "Yeah. I'd like that."

The Doctor looked up. "You would?"

Another yawn interrupted her reply, so Rose only nodded. The Doctor smiled at her, and they separated, only long enough so that their hands could entwine.

Before long, they were entangled once again as they laid in bed, slowly drifting off. They were both nearly asleep when a sharp spike of panic from Rose pulsed through the Doctor's mind. He was alert instantly. "What's wrong?"

"We forgot about the dishes."

"We can finish them in the morning. We have got forever, after all."

Rose chuckled at that, and he confidently smiled. "I guess we do."

Once more, they drifted off.

It was the best sleep either of them had had in years.


End file.
